What is it exactly that riles?

[User]

 

[asterix]

Happened to me in York, except after the island the van overtook then slowed down and slammed his brakes on in front of me. I had slowed down too so was able to brake in time. Then he did it twice more.

When I got home I phoned his boss somewhere in S. Wales. His boss wasn't very happy and told me they would be waiting to speak to the guy when he reached home. No doubt he made up some bullsh1t story but I'd marked his card.

 

[400bhp]

[QUOTE 1396655"]
talking over me, ignoring what I had to say.

it wasn't a big incident, but for some reason it wound me up.


[/quote]

That's the answer I think.

I don't think many people appreciate that kind of conversation.

 

[Sheepy1209]

Bloke in a car, probably in his forties, overtook me on a blind bend, despite me making my position in the lane pretty damn clear - and riding on the left isn't safe because of gravel.

Had an exchange at the next junction where he accused me of 'wobbling all over the road' (yeah right), but worse than that he called me an 'Absolute Buffoon'!!

I'm still seething about that one - effing and blinding I can handle, but for some reason that really got to me!

 

[upsidedown]

I think it's the absolute conviction that they're right. The guy i posted about last week who escorted me back into my bit of road/gutter with his left front wing could not have been more assured of his grasp of the Highway Code.

An argument or accidental bad driving i can cope with, it's somebody trying to teach me a lesson that gets to me.

paul

 

[MrHappyCyclist]

Bloke in a car, probably in his forties, overtook me on a blind bend, despite me making my position in the lane pretty damn clear - and riding on the left isn't safe because of gravel.
Had an exchange at the next junction where he accused me of 'wobbling all over the road' (yeah right), but worse than that he called me an 'Absolute Buffoon'!!
I'm still seething about that one - effing and blinding I can handle, but for some reason that really got to me!

So, even if it had been true, his argument was that it is good practice to do a dangerous overtake past someone who is wobbling all over the road? The frustration here comes, I think, from the sheer futility of arguing with someone who hasn't even the intelligence to understand what you are saying.

 

[abo]

Happened to me in York, except after the island the van overtook then slowed down and slammed his brakes on in front of me. I had slowed down too so was able to brake in time. Then he did it twice more.

Happens in the car too; some toad in a Rav4 came flying up behind me recently on a blind bend; it was obvious he was gonna overtake so I moved across a little, within my range ov vision to try and discourage him while still staying safe for me. He overtook anyway, luckily missed taking the front end off the car coming the other way then decided to brake test me a couple of times before speeding off. I had to stop at a row of shops a bit further along to use the cashpoint and there he was coming out of a shop. I made eye contact and he scuttled away to his stupid softroader and drove off. Not sure whether the fact I was wearing my karate gi (I was on my way to a lesson) had anything to do with it

Armstrong Landscapes from Stillington BTW, might as well name and shame. Mental how people will try and kill you while they have their name and phone number emblazoned on their vehicle

 

[abo]

I think it's the absolute conviction that they're right. The guy i posted about last week who escorted me back into my bit of road/gutter with his left front wing could not have been more assured of his grasp of the Highway Code.

Its like arguing with chavs, you're better off just walking away because there is *no way* you will talk them round to the correct way of thinking.

An argument or accidental bad driving i can cope with, it's somebody trying to teach me a lesson that gets to me.

Quite

 

[upsidedown]

Had an exchange at the next junction where he accused me of 'wobbling all over the road' (yeah right), but worse than that he called me an 'Absolute Buffoon'!!

That is a quality insult by the way.

 

[MrHappyCyclist]

Had an exchange at the next junction where he accused me of 'wobbling all over the road' (yeah right), but worse than that he called me an 'Absolute Buffoon'!!

That is a quality insult by the way.

Why did I instantly get an image of Boris Johnson in my head when I read it, though?

 

[MrHappyCyclist]

The problem comes partly from making the mistake of using rational thought.

An actual conversation:
Me: "Why did you pass me so close back there?"
Him: "I was in complete control the whole time."
Me: "What if I'd hit a stone or got caught by a gust of wind?"
Him: "I was in complete control the whole time."
Me: "How do you know I was?"
Him: "I was in complete control the whole time."
Me: "You're on camera and will be on YouTube tonight."
Him: "I was in complete control the whole time."

How it should have gone:
Me: "Why did you pass me so close back there?"
Him: "I was in complete control the whole time."
Me: "You really are an arrogant prick aren't you."
End of story.

 

[Leaway2]

That is a quality insult by the way.

+1 but the man is quite obviously a bounder!

 

[Dan B]

I think the important questions when arguing with a car driver are "what outcome from this conversation will make me feel better" and "is that outcome likely or even possible". If the only thing which will improve your mood is a fulsome, wholehearted and considered apology and your opening salutation is "oy! you festering cockgibbet, what the fluckare you trying to do?", it's just not going to happen.

Me, I have learnt to take comfort from the thought that the other driver is discommoded and no longer expect emotional closure for myself. So, my rejoinder to the last taxi driver to tell me to get out of the way when I was in primary and happily keeping pace with traffic was a withering (I hope) "don't be silly, love". It still rankles a bit but I can see the funny side in a way that I suspect she can't.

 

[smiorgan]

I think it's the absolute conviction that they're right. The guy i posted about last week who escorted me back into my bit of road/gutter with his left front wing could not have been more assured of his grasp of the Highway Code.

An argument or accidental bad driving i can cope with, it's somebody trying to teach me a lesson that gets to me.

paul

^^^This

I was ganged up on by my brother, stepdad and stepsister's other half last weekend, on just such an argument. My stepdad had apparently taken a couple of roadies to task for using the road instead of the pedestrian/cycle bridge, which the council put in "at great expense", and wasn't interested in me suggesting that maybe he should just slow down a bit. Cue the usual stuff about "facilities being provided out of my taxes", "cycles should be banned from the road because there are more cars than bikes, that's democracy", "one day you'll get yourself killed and you should think about the poor motorist who ends up hitting you". I kid you not. My brother started it, and I should have known better than to rise to the bait. They probably think it was just a friendly argument, that I know they didn't mean it, etc.

From strangers, the combination of rightous indignation, a misplaced sense of entitlement and complele lack of a clue is what grates. On top of that when your own family won't back you up... bah.

 

[Adasta]

Ignorance and inhumanity. The inflated ego of most people makes me sick.

Their main desire is to protect their own interest. The irreverence is what bothers me. Just like at school, when you used to see a kid piss away his education while another kid on another continent had to walk 15 miles to learn his ABCs.

It's the irreverence.